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Ontario Commits to Ending Chronic Homelessness in 10 Years

Province Releases Report from Expert Advisory Panel on Homelessness

Ontario is moving ahead with an ambitious target to end chronic homelessness in 10 years and is implementing recommendations from an Expert Advisory Panel on Homelessness.

In January 2015, Ontario established an Expert Advisory Panel on Homelessness to provide advice on how to achieve the goal of ending homelessness under the province’s Poverty Reduction Strategy.

The Panel’s report [PDF] acknowledges that homelessness is complex, and that progressive action is required to address it. In response, Ontario is committing to a number of immediate and long-term actions, including:

setting a target to end chronic homelessness in 10 years

providing up to $10 million over two years in targeted funding from the Local Poverty Reduction Fund to help prevent and end homelessness across the province

adopting the recommended definition of homelessness, including chronic homelessness, to build common language and understanding about the problem

planning to require enumeration at the local level to gather data about homelessness

prioritizing provincial action to reduce homelessness in four areas: youth, Aboriginal, and chronic homelessness, as well as homelessness following transitions from provincially-funded institutions and service systems, such as jails and hospitals

Working towards the long-term goal of ending homelessness is part of the government’s economic plan for Ontario. The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people’s talents and skills, building new public infrastructure like roads and transit, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives and building a secure savings plan.